A Radiation Homeland Security Workshop Presented to the City of Berkeley Fire Department

1. A Radiation Homeland Security Workshop Presented to the City of Berkeley Fire Department Howard Matis Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

2. Outline of this Talk • Possible Radiation Incidents in our neighborhood • Post 9/11 DoE Charge to the Physics Community • How Berkeley Lab volunteered to teach a course • Process to create a class • Challenges • Course Description • Reaction to Course • Future Directions Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

3. Radiation Incidents in our community • Vehicle Accident carrying radioactive material • 241Am - smoke detector • 131I, 99mTc, 60Co - destroys cancer cells • 169Yb, 60Co, 192Ir - used to measure metal thickness • Fire in hospital where radioisotopes stored, medical accelerator, or construction site • Radioactive material is commonly used • Dirty Bomb - designed to scare and promote panic • Attack on nuclear facility • Nuclear weapon Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

4. A Probable Scene for a First Responder • Actual collision of truck handling medical isotopes and radioactive waste and delivery truck • Is it safe to rescue drivers? • Should area be evacuated? • Sensitivity of the public to the word “nuclear” • Knowledge needed to prevent panic Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

5. Unlikely but Possible Release of Nuclear Material • Dirty bomb or nuclear explosion • Need to identify the problem • Make quick decisions • What should public do if exposed to 10 mR/hr? Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

6. Dirty Bomb Released in San Francisco will affect Berkeley Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

7. Summons to the Physics Community for Help • Post 9/11 DoE request for help from the Nuclear Community • Two day workshop between • Universities • National Laboratories • Government - NNSA, CIA, DOE, NIST, TSA and others Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

8. Education and Outreach Recommendations • “Many federal, state and local agencies are newly faced with the need to access and address threats or events. Many have few resources and little training…The expertise of the research community could be very useful in advising and training local agencies such as police forces or fire departments on the principles of nuclear physics and the use of radiation detectors.” • “Creation of informational materials suitable for a nuclear scientist to give a short course or briefing, perhaps only one hour, to concerned but nontechnical responders or local authorities on the principles of nuclear physics and radiation detection.” Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

9. Berkeley Lab Offers to Help • A little persistence needed. Our Division Director emeritus – Lee Schroeder • contacted Fire Chief • City Council member - former Nuclear Science Deputy Division Director • Eventually found interested people • After several meetings at City Hall, decided on logistics for the course • Two half days sessions for full course • Taught to four different crews of about 20 people each Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

10. City of Berkeley, California • Population 102,743 • I-80, major interstate, goes through • Two hospitals • Few miles from San Francisco (pop. 750,000) • Next to Oakland (pop. 400,000) • Adjacent to San Francisco Bay • Many possibilities for nuclear dispersal Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

11. Berkeley Fire Department • 137.5 members (125 sworn) • 7 fire stations • 7 engines • Staffed with 3 firefighters • 3 trucks • Staffed with 3 firefighters • 3 ambulances • Staffed with 2 paramedics • 35 calls a day or one call every 41 minutes Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

12. Choose Interdisciplinary Team • Organize diverse group of scientists • Nuclear Scientists • Lee SchroederPeggy McMahan • Rick NormanHM • Radiation Biologists • Eleanor BlakelyAmy Kronenberg • Health Physicists • Robert FairchildGary Zeman • Use existing material • Slides from First Responder course by Con Beausang • Material from our “ABC’s of Nuclear Science” • Demonstrations that we have used over the last 10 years • Material to teach about radiation at Berkeley Lab Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

13. Logistics • Teach all fire fighters and paramedics • But fire fighters work 24 hours and fire stations need to be manned all the time • Course must be given in fire fighters time constraints • Split course into two half day blocks • Four sessions to teach full staff • Teach each part twice a day - full day instructor commitment • Total class time of 4 days • Large effort needed from instructors • 8 people days of class time required • More than a semester's class contact time! Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

14. Curriculum • First half day • Basics of radiation • Principles of radiation detection • Second half day (separated by a month) • Health effects • Emergency response • Scenarios involving responders Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

15. Basic Properties of Radiaton • Little nuclear physics • Basics of radioactivity • Types of radioactivity • Shielding for different types • Concept of half-life • Natural radiation • Risk of exposure • ALARA (with hands on experience) • Radiation Detectors Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

16. Biological Pathways • Radiation units • How radiation affects people • Effects of high and low dose • Exposure to care givers • Exposure guidelines • Help in emergencies Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

17. Radiation in the Berkeley Environment • How you might find radiation • Natural radiation sources found locally • Medical and industrial sources • Case studies of radiation accidents • Dirty bomb • Emergency action • Survey theory • Meter operation • Dosimetry devices • Emergency Response Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

18. Hands-on Material • Basics of radiation • Sources, Absorbers • Teach shielding, difference between , ,  radiation • Half Life of an isotope - 137Cs • Generates 137Ba-m - t1/2 = 2.5 min • Use ion exchange counter • Detect 662 keV g with Geiger • Distance law • Important for ALARA • The energy spectra of gamma emitters • How to identify different isotopes • Use of common meters • Detect unknown radioactivity with a mat. Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

19. Unique Problems • Diverse education background - master degrees to people who never studied physics • Large dynamic range in interest in basic science • Students suddenly leaving to fight a fire • One class had to be rescheduled when first responders called to action Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

20. What They Learned • Basic nuclear information • Misconceptions on what instruments are capable • For instance many detectors are inappropriately advertised as alpha detectors • Gear is often overkill • Had radiation equipment, did not understand what radiation was or really how to use equipment • Practical experience • Learned how to use meters • Given wallet cards • Inform that there is a hotline for help Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

21. Questions that we need to answer better • Explain risk of low level radiation • Linear hypothesis • Radiation is invisible. How can I trust my meter to tell if it is safe? • First responders have the option to refuse to make a rescue above a specific reading. • How do I decide to rescue in a few seconds? • If I go in, will I be able to have any more kids? • Explain if there will be long term effects • Need simple way to decide to go in • Sometimes a simple movement of person is all that is necessary • These need much time and discussion to address these issues Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

22. What We Learned • First responders are just like us • Open to convincing scientific explanations • Eager to learn what they do not know • They need to be informed • Dedicated public servants • Wonderful for us to interact with another segment of our community Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

23. How I would do it again • Consult with first responders when developing material • Remove material that is too abstract • Text needs consistent units • Problem that meters have many different units • Review should be included • Get feedback • Police should also be trained • Need this information for crowd control • Course could be abbreviated Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

24. Continuing Community Relations • Berkeley Lab calibrates City of Berkeley radiation meters • Local hospital (Alta Bates) will treat any Lab employee if radiation accident • Berkeley Lab EH&S staff are on call for any radiation incident in Berkeley or Oakland Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

25. Follow-up Activities • Seminar on post-disaster actions – December 2003 • City of Berkeley • U California • PG&E (gas and electric utility) • Caltrans (state transportation) • BART (light rail) • Radiological dispersal drill with City of Berkeley– June 2004 • “Dirty Bomb” drill with Alta Bates Hospital - September 2004 Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov

26. Summary • Probability of a nuclear release is not zero and is possible • First responder training badly needed • Must have hands-on demonstration • Having health physicists involved is essential • Our attempt was good but improvement needed • Need to get defined curriculum with feedback from first responders • We’re scientists - why don’t we teach scientifically? • Material needs to available nationally • Retraining • Important for the nuclear community to help in this effort • Builds good community relations • This effort makes our country stronger Howard Matis - hsmatis@lbl.gov